雷神奇俠 . 危機解密 . 馬拉高 . 肉蒲團

雷神奇俠

The Pursuit of Power Pollutes our Minds

THOR is an epic adventure about Thor, a powerful but arrogant god whose reckless actions trigger a war. As a result, he is stripped of his powers by his father Odin and banished to Earth where he has to learn what it takes to be a good leader.

Like Iron Man, one of the reasons for THOR’s success is the three-dimensional and pleasing protagonist
that the audience cares about. Thor is not only a mighty warrior with a powerful physique, but also a loyal friend. However, as a prince born to inherit the throne, he is petulant. Because of his impetuosity, shortsightedness, flashes of rage and disrespect, his father deprives him of his powers and exiles him to earth in the hope that he will become more humble and mature. Unlike other superheroes who gain their superpowers when bitten by a genetically altered spider or hit by a gamma blast, Thor becomes a mortal, like us. Owing to the loss of powers and a beauty’s love, his heart is softened. Despite the flaw that Thor’s personal growth, i.e. the learning of humility, and his interest in Jane Foster are underdeveloped, Thor is still a charismatic character whom the audience aspires to be.

What makes this movie so relatable to me is the breakdown of the family. Speaking of family, Thor is no different from us. He also has to deal with family issues, e.g. sibling rivalry for power and attention, a son’s impatience to prove his worth to his father, Loki’s hatred for his father, etc. That the pursuit of power
pollutes our minds sounds plausible. Several scenes showing the confrontations between the father and the son are emotionally affecting, thanks to Anthony Hopkins, an acting legend, whose nuanced performance as an aging king and a distressed father who is hurt and disappointed by his son is very convincing.

The delicately crafted Marvel universe sets the scene for this epic adventure. Earth, Asgard and Jotunheim are beautifully shot and their unique features are highlighted. For instance, Thor’s stay in remote New Mexico symbolizes the fall of the god. While his arrogance and passion are highlighted in his glowing golden world, his unequaled courage contrasts sharply with the scary snowy world. Thanks to the jaw-dropping
IMAX 3D images, the convincing set design and the cool costume design, the three distinctly different worlds are brought to life within the same reality. What’s more, that science cannot explain everything and Norse mythology is real adds romance to the story.

Albeit not on a par with Spiderman, THOR is a success as a commercial popcorn movie blending together different genres, mythology, action, a character study, romance, family drama, etc.

P.S. Make sure you stick around till after the closing credits! 3.7 / 5

危機解密

Director Duncan Jones (Moon) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain) draw me to Source Code, a sci-fi thriller about a soldier Colter who wakes up on a train and discovers he's part of a military program that enables him to return to the train as another man in the parallel reality. His mission is to uncover the identity of the terrorist who bombs the train in 8 minutes.

Source Code is a fast-paced, tightly-plotted and gripping movie with adrenaline-pumping suspense, touching moments and surprising twists. Although similar events are shown over and over again, more and more conspiracies, secrets and twists are revealed each time Colter is transported back and forth between the train and the high-tech isolation unit. Thanks to Paul Hirsch’s deft editing and the 8-minute time limit which adds urgency to the mission, our attention is held from beginning to end.

What would you do if you knew you only had one minute to live? Christina would make those seconds count and Colter would kiss her again. The message of the movie is that we should make good use of every second of our lives so that we have no regrets. I am touched by Colter’s telephone conversation with his Dad and his attempt to save everybody in the last ride.

The movie is not flawless. First, not every idea makes sense when you think back. For instance, where is Sean’s soul in the end? Second, the love between Colter and Christina can be further developed. For example, at which moment and why does Colter start to fancy Christina? Besides, Christina may not truly love Colter, which makes the ending less touching. Third, it is unlikely for Goodwin, an army officer, to help Colter. She may risk life imprisonment.

Perhaps it’s time to stop thinking too much. Just lie back and enjoy the thrilling ride in which you can enjoy a cocktail of sci-fi, crime and romance. 3.7 / 5

馬拉高

Rango is not only one of the most stylish westerns that I have seen in years, but also a beautifully-rendered, entertaining and gripping satire on the negative influence of big business. The film also reminds us to have faith, use imagination and realise one's responsibility. 4 / 5

3D肉蒲團之極樂寶鑑

Despite the charming cast, 3D Sex & Zen: Extreme Ecstasy is a disappointment which does not live up to its hype.

As an erotic movie, it is not as satisfying as a hard-core pornographic movie. As a drama, it has paper-thin and inconsistent characters. That the main character and his wife suddenly miss each other is totally without substance. As a result, it fails to touch some members of the audience and the delivery of the message becomes very weak.

On the whole, it is a cult movie mixing pornography, foul language, jokes, romance, gore and action. However, it falls between two stools. You are advised not to take the plot seriously and expect any hard-core images, or you may be disappointed. A similar Korean movie, A Frozen Flower, is highly recommended. 2.5 / 5

影評刊載於「兩岸三地影評人協會聯盟」、「動映地帶」及「IMDB」。